Magnetic ore-separator



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1. G. M. BALL 86 S. NORTON. MAGNETIC ORE SEPARATOR.

No. 404,333. Patented May 28, 1889.

INVENTORS ATTORN J O. M. BALL 85 S. NORTON.

(No Model) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

MAGNETIC ORB SEPARA'I'OR.

Patented May 28 1889.

A TTORNEYJ INVENTORS M 7/7. fla m1 7/0142)? (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet; 3.

C. M. BALL 8:; S. NORTON.

MAGNETIC ORE SEPARATOR.

Patented May 28, 1889.

N. PETERS FfioXo-Ldhognphur, Washingicn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON M. BALL, OF TROY, AND SHELDON NORTON, OF WVEST-TROY, AS-

SIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO ALEXANDER T. PORTER, OF WVEST TROY,

NEW YORK.

MAGNETIC ORE-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,333, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed October 5, 1888.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it. known that we, CLINTON M. BALL, of

Troy, in the county of Rensselaer, and SHEL- DON NORTON, of Vest Troy, in the county of Albany, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore- Separators; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel apparatus for separating iron or its ore from the impurities with which such are generally found as- I 5 sociatedfor instance, phosphorus, sulphur in the form of pyrites, &c.-

Briefly, the invention consists in an apparatus adapted to forcibly cause the tumbling or rolling of the particles of material through a compound magnetic field of alternating polarity with or without the application of a current of air; and the invention further consists in the arrangement'or construction of devices for the foregoing purpose, substan- 2 5 tially as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings which form part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a complete apparatus constructed in accord- 0 ance with the principles of our invention. Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a face View of the compound magnet, illustrated in three 5 different modes of construction. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section, of another modified form of the apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, we construct the hopper 1, having an adjustable gate, 2, adapted to spread the ore and gangue uniformly and to an even depth over an inclined apron, 3, which feeds into a vertical chute, 4, whose lower end is connected with the inlet of a rotary fan or blower, 5, which may be conveniently operated by the belt 6 and pulley 7 on Serial No. 287,329. (No model.)

the counter-shaft 14. Situated on a framework of the structure are the two parallel v shafts S 9, and these carry the drums 10 and 11, over which is passed an endless belt, 12, drum 11 being driven positively by means of a belt from any suitable source of power. Both or either of the ends of the apparatus between the drums 10 and 11 and the face of the inclined apron 3 may be open to the atmosphere, so that in the operation of the blower 5 currents of air are induced at these points and deflected downwardly into chute 4, as indicated by arrows in the figure. In the space between the drums 10 and 11, I place a series of magnets, M M M M, &c., and these magnets may be either permanent or electro magnets, and they are so arranged as to have their free poles in close proximity to the inner face of belt 12 next the inclined apron 3. The free poles are arranged in alternation as to polarity-that is, if the first pole is north, the second is south, the third north, and the fourth south, and so on throughout the series, which may be of any desired number. The shape of the poles may vary according to the will of the designer, and may be, either elongated to the full width of the belt or to a less extent, or may be made up in groups of circular magnets, all of which forms are indicated at Fig. 2.

The operation will be as follows: The ore and gangue passing down the apron 3 come within the attractive influence of the first pole of the magnetic system, and all magnetic particles contained in the body of ore are immediately attracted and held against the moving belt 12, which on this side is moving downwardly, as indicated by the large arrow. All the magnetic particles are attracted first to the first pole; but as the belt compels them to move forward toward the second pole their positions are reversed, and, leaving the second pole for the third pole, their positions are again 0 reversed, and so on past the series of magnets in succession, so that all the magnetic particles are not merely caused to adhere against the face of the belt, but as they pass along are compelled to, as it were, tumble or turn end for end, and in this manner are very thoroughly agitated, and their friction upon one another and upon the belt, along with the mechanical agitation effected by the alternations of magnetic polarity, result in a most thorough cleansing of the magneticparticles from all dust or other impurities which would otherwise cling to them.

The peculiar action upon the magnetic particles is graphically illustrated in Fig. 1, where, for the purpose of clearn ess, a single particle is shown in its successive positions as it travels past the alternating poles of the magnetic system, the particle being exaggerated in size in order to make the action clear. On inspection of this figure it will be observed that as the particle first approaches the magnetic system it becomes polarized by induction and one end becomes attracted more strongly than the other, owing to this induced polarity, and as it passes such pole it stands on end, in accordance with the well-known phenomena of the lines of force in magnetic substances. As it is carried forcibly past this pole its outer and free end tends toward the next pole of the magnetic field, and midway between the two the position of the particle is parallel wit-h the belt, and when it reaches the second magnetic pole it again stands on end, but this time on the opposite end from that on which itstood at the last stage, and so on throughout the entire series of poles of the compound magnetic field the magnetic particle is drawn by the belt, and at the same time compelled by the magnetic attractions to tumble end ever end, as it were, a sufficient number of times to absolutely cleanse it of all foreign substances and dust which might be clinging to its exterior.

As the gangue approaches the chute 4 most of the uumagnetizablc portions fall into the chute and are carried away by the current of air produced by the blower 5, and as a final step toward perfectly cleansing the magnetic particles which are now past the chute and are ready to be delivered the induced current of air upwardly past the lower end of apron 3 has the effect of blowing away the last traces of dust and all other impurities which may possibly be still clinging to the particles of magnetic ore, after which the belt carries them outside the magnetic field, and as they are no longer attracted they fall on the lower end of apron 3, and are thus not merely separated from the gangue, but also perfectly cleaned.

In Fig.9 the inclined apron is replaced by an endless belt, 15, traveling 011 the drums 16 and supported by the rollers 17, the hopper 1 and the gate 2 remaining substantially as in the previous construction. In this case the belt 12 and drums 10 and 11V are arranged horizontally, so that the under side of the belt passes along in close proximity to belt 15, and the magnets M M &c., are arranged, as before, between the two drums 10 and 1.1, with their free poles in close proximity to the back of the belt 12. The hopper 4 remains unchanged, as also the blower 5; but we have placed the guide-plate 18, which forms the front wall of the closed receiving-chamber 22, in such position as to form a sort of flat nozzle at the upper rear edge of hopper 4, so as to more energetically direct the current of air induced at that point by the action of the blower drawing air through the hopper 4 downwardly, and cause it to impinge upon the movingbody of ore before the latter is carried out of the field of magnetic attraction; and to avoid carrying back the smaller particles of magnetic ore by the air-current, and to prevent their accumulation at the discharge, the ore is received into the closed chamber 22, from which the flow of cleaned ore may be regulated by the sliding gate In Figs. and t the form is again slightly modified, and in this case the hopper 1 delivers into a narrow vertical chute, 1.9, in which. is arranged to rotate a disk of diamagnetic material, 20,'carried by the shaft 21., and on the side opposite that in which chute 19 is located we place the group of magnets M M M M". The chute t is located at the lower end of the apparatus similarly to the previous forms, and the blower 5 is situated so as to act precisely the same as in the said previous forms. \Vhile somewhat changed in form and arrangement, all the foregoing modifications operate on precisely the same principles and effect the same results.

\Vhile we have described a process herein, we do not lay claim to the same in this application, as we have incorporated claims to our process in a separate application, filed September 20, 1888, Serial No. 286,398.

\Ve claim as our invention 1. An orc-separator comprising a group of magnets of alternating polarity, in combination with means for forcibly conveying the ore past the said magnets successively without contact therewith.

2. An ore-separator comprising, in combination, a group of magnets of alternating polarity, a traveling screen adapted to move across the poles of said magnets, and means for delivering the ore in proximity to the screen.

3. An ore-separator comprising, in combination, a group of magnets of alternating polarity, a traveling screen of diamagnetic material adapted to move across the poles of said-magnets, and means for delivering the ore in proximity to the screen.

et. An ore-separator comprising, in combination, a group of magnets of alternating polarity, a travclin g diamagnetic screen adapted to move across the poles of said magnets, means for delivering the ore to the outer side of said screen, and means for forcing a cur- ITO ITS

rent of air through the space traversed by In testimony whereof We affix our signatures IO the ore as it passes the magnet-poles. in presence of two Witnesses.

5. An ore-separator comprising, in combination, a group of magnets of alternating po- CLINTON M. BALL.

larity, a traveling diainagnetic screen adapted SHELDON NORTON. to move across the poles of said magnets, and

an apron adapted to confine the ore within WVil'nesses:

inductive range of said magnets and deliver FRED E. OOTHOUT,

it in close proximity to said screen. LEWIS H. MCDONALD. 

